December
by littleleaf89
Summary: Shizuru keeps calling every evening, but a phone call can't really brigde the gap between America and Japan. Not when it means celebrating Christmas for the first time without your love.
1. October

This story is a Christmas present for everyone who reads my stories, likes Shizuru/Natsuki or anime in general. The past year I've gotten so much encouragement and nice comments on my work, which really made me happy. So I want to share my joy with everybody around here and say Merry Christmas to all of you!

(yeah, that was all cheesy, I know. But I always get so sentimental this time of the year ' )

* * *

October

_Ring_

_Ring_

One time, two times, three times.

Natsuki picked up her mobile from the kitchen counter where it had been left next to an empty bowl, formerly filled with ramen and mayonnaise. Maybe, she pondered, she should get herself a decent ring tone. The monosyllabic, always-the-same old fashioned "_ring"_ started to annoy her somewhat. A short glance on the display, before she flipped the phone open confirmed her suspicion who might be calling her at half past ten.

"Hey you" she greeted the person on the other end without detaining herself with courtesies.

"_Ara, Natsuki's still awake." _The other voice didn't really sound surprised at the fact. _"You should be in bed and get some sleep. You have to go to work again tomorrow."_

Natsuki grinned. "I can't because a certain person always calls me late in the evening to ask me how I've been and now I'm gotten so used to it."

There was a chuckle over the line. _"Natsuki tell me who this irresponsible person is and I'll show her."_

Natsuki gave a short laugh and the other one went on. _"Then tell me, how was your day?"_

"Same as yesterday, Shizuru, boring as ever. …..And what about you? How's business going?"

"_I can't complain. The new deal will be a great extension to our US-branch. Though I must admit the opinion on what a sense of duty is differs quite a bit from mine."_

In Natsuki's mind formed the picture of American businessmen coming into the conference room half an hour after the actual beginning with a coffee cup in one hand and some papers in the other, the crumbs of their just finished breakfast still remaining in the corners of their mouths. Adding dishevelled hair to one or another man as well and an untidy tie. And in the middle of the room her Shizuru, already sitting at the table, waiting for half an hour with her perfectly tidy business suit and the essential cup of tea next to her laptop. Maybe she would feel well over there, Natsuki mused, at least she would come just as late into the meetings.

"_Did you eat something nutritious for dinner?"_

Her attention was drawn back to the phone. Natsuki smiled, a gentle smile reserved for Shizuru. She was glad to know somebody cared about her, glancing with a slight pang of guilt at the remains of instant noodle bowl on the counter.

"Sure, 'course Shizuru." She quickly lied. Though Shizuru must have detected it in the tone of her voice.

"_It was some instant food, am I right?" _Shizuru let out a heavy sigh. _"Then please tell me it was at least without mayonnaise. You consume way too much of that fat unhealthy sauce."_

Natsuki felt like a little child being scolded. "It was only a little. Just to add some taste."

"_My, you know you will get all heavy plump if you continue eating such large quantities of mayonnaise, and I don't want a hippo-like girlfriend."_

Natsuki stuck out her tongue at the stupid cell phone and the stupid caller. "Just let me get some sleep already and go bother someone else about their eating habits!" she growled into the phone.

A light laugh was her reply. _"You're right, you should get some sleep now, it's quite late in Japan by now." Goodnight Natsuki, I love you."_

A short pause followed like every night, then. "Night Shizuru, I love you too. Goodbye"

"_Goodbye."_

Now that she had got her daily call, Natsuki wandered over into her bedroom, ignoring the dirty dishes. She could always do them tomorrow, it wasn't like they would run away. While she got undressed and brushed her hair, her eyes fell on the queen-size bed. One side was neatly made, the other occupied by a heap of messy sheets. Shizuru was already gone for two weeks, and it would be not until the second half of December before her return. The bed, Natsuki mused, looked lonely.


	2. November

Here's the second chapter of my Christmas story and the third will be out the next evening (fingers crossed). Thank you very much for all the reviews so far. Even more of an incentive to write more.

**Darkredeyes & midorihitomi:** I hope that was fast enough. :)

**tittiD:** Thanks for spotting the typo. Seems like my spellcheck missed that one.

**Hoppy-chan:** Maybe this fullfills your yearning feelings, it won't be over only now. Thanks for the typo, too, and have fun in Boston!

**MinnieMay119: **I read a lot of stories where Natsuki's eating habits and Shizuru's disapproval of them are mentioned so I wanted to write something like that one as well. ;)

* * *

November

The first thing Natsuki had done when she had gotten home from work was tossing her bag in the corner of her living room and after peeling herself out of her soaked clothes, heading straight into the hot shower.

"Damn rain!" she thought angrily.

All over the week she had had her umbrella with her and only today when she had forgotten to put it in her bag as she left far too late for work heavens had to pour down. "Just my luck." Or some sort of Murphy's Law or whatever it would be called. She didn't know and neither cared, for in any case the result was the same, namely she being all cold and drenched.

For a while Natsuki just stood in the hot water jet, letting the warm droplets hit and pierce her skin to fight back the cold out of her numb limbs. Half an hour later Natsuki emerged from the misty bathroom in a cloud of steam. The hallway was much cooler than the damp, warm bathroom she just left, she could feel goose bumps erecting on her bare arms. Quickly before she would get all cold again Natsuki scurried over into her bedroom, clutching her towel tight to her chest. Having found a comfortable set of clothes to wear on an evening on the couch – consisting of loose grey sweatpants, an orange sweatshirt and thick, fluffy socks – she went back to the living room.

First it was just a faint rhythmic humming, then as she got closer she realized it to be the tune of her ring tone. It was some American hip-hop thing, which Shizuru had sent her. Apparently it was the top position of the charts and the whole US from east to west was going nuts over the song. Shizuru had said her colleagues had highly recommended it to her and she hoped Natsuki would like it. Natsuki found it simply terrible. But Shizuru had sent it, so she used it nevertheless.

Obviously her cell had been ringing for a while already. The song was somewhere in the middle part. Natsuki hurried over to where she had thrown her bag previously and dug through the cases for her cell.

"Hi!" she said breathlessly as she had finally found her phone and flipped it open.

"_Hello Natsuki."_ drifted Shizuru's voice over the line. _"Am I interrupting you at something_? _It took you quite long to answer my call."_

"What? No, of course not. I just didn't hear it at once. You're calling earlier today."

"_Oh, is it inapt now? Should I call back later?" she asked._

"No, don't!" Natsuki hastily said. "It's fine, I mean I'm happy you're already calling, I mean I…How are you?"

It was a weak attempt at concealing the fact that she had manoeuvred herself again into the shallow waters where she still didn't know how to move well. Shizuru in response giggled and both of them knew that a light blush was now gracing Natsuki's cheeks.

Then Shizuru went on with their talk before it got too awkward for her love and set off talking about business, the recent meetings she had had, the plans she still had to pursue and so on. All the time Natsuki was quietly listening to the even voice, though Shizuru somehow sensed that the boring business talk couldn't keep Natsuki's attention long and that she had lost the plot of the conversation long ago. So instead she started to gush about the winter in Chicago. _"It snowed last night. Really much! And when I woke up this morning the whole city was white. It's so cold here already and it's only November. And when I asked my secretary this morning she said they always have so much snow here each year."_

Natsuki smiled at the childlike glee with which her love had bubbled about her winter experiences.

"_I would have liked to walk in the snow with Natsuki."_ Shizuru said, now serious, and with a sudden hint of sadness in her voice. Natsuki felt it, too. "Yes, I would've liked that, but in Tokyo we only could've walked in the rain."

"_Oh my, did you get wet? I'm sure you hadn't got an umbrella with you."_ Shizuru asked, now all concerned again.

In response she got a short, hard laugh. "Of course, the only days I don't have an umbrella are those days when it rains."

"_Then please be careful not to catch a cold, Natsuki. I'm not here to nurse you."_

"'Course I am. I just came out of the shower when you called." Natsuki reassured her.

"_And you're all warm and dry now?"_ she inquired in her be-a-good-child-voice.

"Yes I am, thoroughly."

"_Fine then, eat something and go to bed soon, some rest will do you good."_

"Alright, alright, I'll get me an extra fluffy blanket on the couch and now stop making such a fuss about it; it was only a bit of rain." Natsuki answered in her I'm-a-grown-women-who-can-look-after-herself-voice she used for these occasions. Shizuru giggled again. _"Don't watch TV all night."_

"I won't, love, promise."

"_Goodnight then, I love you."_

"Love you too."

Before Natsuki hung up she could have sworn Shizuru had blown a kiss into the phone. For a moment she stared onto the now dead cell. Then she got up and heated herself a pizza in the micro wave. While munching it on the couch, she had to admit that she even missed Shizuru's cooking. Even though it was all healthy with no grease and absolutely no mayonnaise in it, after over a month of living on the variety of junk food, she wouldn't have objected to it. Maybe a stop at Mai's wouldn't be bad, or she really needed to learn how to cook herself.


	3. December, the 24th

Wow, this story already has the most hits of everything I uploaded here so far. It's really amazing

**midorihitomi: **normally I don't update that fast... Anyways here's another conversation, with Nao this time (I somehow start to like her, though I blame this on Holly Warner, Entropy Emphaty and Tremalkinger )

**jordan.D:** Glad you like it.

**Naolin:** Thanks for the typos again, it's nice to know people are reading it that closely :) Don't be angry about the snow, I'm sitting here in good, old Germany I haven't got an inch of snow either. There has never been a Christmas as warm as this on. Damn gobal warming! Upps, I'm getting off topic hope you like this chapter too, and tell me the typos if you find some.

* * *

December, the 24th 

At half past eleven the sound of the doorbell disturbed a grumpy Natsuki over her fourth cup of coffee. Mumbling something over the damn door ringing early she scuffed to the front door and found a large packet stuck up under her nose. Behind the package was a teenage boy with a broad smile, wishing her a "Merry Christmas". Natsuki just took the package, scribbled her signature on his card wordlessly and slammed the door shut again.

One look on the handwriting of her address told her who'd sent it. Hastily Natsuki scurried back and placed the package on the counter, almost knocking her coffee cup over in the process, and sliced it open with a knife.

Shizuru had kept her promise.

Natsuki recalled the conversation they had had two weeks ago. She had called her love as soon as she had gotten home to ask her when she should pick her up at the airport the next day. But things hadn't worked out as planned. A deal worth several millions had been called off, due to the fact the company had crashed a few months ago and concealed it till recently. So Shizuru had been bound to stay and conduct the negotiations with an alternative company.

"How long will it take until a new deal is arranged?" Natsuki had asked, already dreading the answer.

"_I can't really say. It depends on various things, if they accept our terms and whatnot. Although this will definitely take some time."_

That was a typical Shizuru answer. "How long exactly till you come back, Shizuru?" Natsuki had demanded once more.

"_Well, for the moment it looks like I might come back around New Year."_

"Oh" Had been all Natsuki had managed to say thereupon.

"_I know, my love, but at least I'll make sure to send you some wonderful presents for Christmas day."_

And now her presents had arrived. Timely, as she had said.

Natsuki ripped the package open and put the card aside to unravel her presents very quickly. As they were all laid out in front of her, she took her time marvelling at them. The chocolates were very tasty and the liquor looked promising, but not at noon, so she restrained herself from trying it. Next she awed at the DVDs, all action movies with lots of explosions and car races, just as Natsuki liked them. There never was much talk, so she didn't need to scrape her English together to follow the storyline. As her eyes wandered to the various bottles of American mayonnaise she was close to swooning and she rolled her eyes at the pink lacy nightgown which she had found right at the bottom of the package. Couldn't Shizuru have chosen another colour? Like black? Well, she would have to wear it for Shizuru, when her she got back. And maybe it wouldn't look so bad on her after all.

Last of all she picked up the card she had put aside at the beginning. It was a simple red and had 'Merry Christmas' printed in golden letters on the front. It read:

_Dear Natsuki,_

_I'm really sorry I can't spend Christmas with you this year, I do so wish to be with you. When I am back I promise we will have a lot of time together, to make up a bit for my absence now. Hopefully you like the presents I got you. I can't wait to see you in that nightgown, you'll look so cute. I'm thinking about you._

_Love,_

_Shizuru_

Next to Shizuru's signature there was a kiss with lipstick and scribbled beneath it the question: Do you like my new lipstick?

Natsuki read the card twice and pressed it close to her heart. Christmas would get by and then she would soon have her love back.

At five p.m. Natsuki had enough off sitting home alone. If Shizuru wasn't here, who said she couldn't have some other people to keep her company. Though it turned out to be not that easy. Mai and Yuichi were having a family party with Takumi and Akira, Mikoto and Reito and Shiho. Of course Mai instantly invited Natsuki over when she called and said she could keep Shiho off her husband, but Natsuki declined. The prospect of crashing into a family come-together wasn't her idea of an evening, especially not such a family. Briefly she thought of calling Chie, but she was surely with Aoi and Natsuki didn't want to be the odd one out. The other people she knew from school were... not really people she wanted to see now, so who was left. In the end only Nao, so Natsuki called the redhead.

"Oi, Nao, how're you doing?"

"_Natsuki, is that you?"_ she sounded surprised. _"What's up with you, you haven't been in touch for ages."_

"Hm, yeah, sorry about that. I wanted to ask if you're free for tonight." Natsuki hit it straightforward.

"_Do you want me to get punished by that psycho lover of yours or has she abandoned you?"_ Nao sounded really astonished now.

"Neither, she's over in America for business and can't come home for Christmas. So I thought since we're both alone we could go out a bit, just as old friends."

The redhead snickered. _"Sorry to disappoint you, Kuga, but you aren't the only lapdog whose owner isn't around for Christmas."_

Natsuki blinked. "You haven't taken up your old hobby again and are going to meet some poor guy to rob him, have you?"

"_Nah, of course not,"_ Nao said loftily." _But Yukino has called an hour before you did, so I'm already booked for this evening."_

"You're not talking about Kikukawa Yukino?" Natsuki asked wonderingly.

"_The one and only."_ The redhead confirmed. _"She was to spend Christmas with her beloved Haruka, but Haruka has been called home to celebrate with her fiancé and she wasn't in the mood to be all alone."_

"Hell must have frozen over." Natsuki mumbled. "Haruka has a fiancé…"

"_No, from what Yukino told me, it's something Haruka's parents set up for her. No guy in his right mind would date a bossy woman like her."_

Natsuki nodded. "Right, poor guy. But these sure are interesting news."

Nao laughed. _"Hope that cheered you up a bit Kuga, 'cause I have to get ready now. I'm being treated to dinner with formal clothing and all. I need to get my lingerie out." _

"Stop the boasting… wait what do you need lingerie for, you're going out with Yukino?"

The evil giggle meant no good. _"That's what you say Kuga, but if we have some drinks tonight, who knows…"_

"Sure, I thought she's still madly in love with Haruka. Like she would just jump into bed with you."

"_She is madly in love with Haruka, but that woman's a sensible as a brick, she'll never catch_ _it on. So good, old Yukino has to look for someone else…"_ Nao trailed off suggestively

"You're not telling me you… are you?" Natsuki asked suspiciously.

"_Well I met her in a bar once, a while back and she was pretty drunk but very passionate that night."_

"I don't think I want to know any more. Have fun, Nao." Said a very bewildered Natsuki before she hung up.

Nao and Yukino. There were still miracles in this world.

She called Shizuru, just to hear her voice, but the reception turned out to be very bad, probably because lots of people were calling their beloved at the moment, overstressing the network.

"Hello Shizuru. Merry Christmas."

"_Hello Natsuki, merry Christmas to you, too." _A hissing on the line momentarily disturbed the conversation. "_Did you get your presents?"_

"Yes, I did. Thank you very much."

"_And you liked them?"_

"Yes, they were ...great."

It sounded flat, Shizuru noticed, even the bad reception couldn't conceal it. _"What's wrong_ _Natsuki, did the nightgown annoy you? I can give it back, if you don't like it."_ She asked concerned.

"No, it's not that. It's just…"

"_Yes_" she prompted.

"I wish you were here."

"_Believe me I wish that too, but I can't" _Shizuru felt the urge to press her love close to sooth the sadness in that voice, but all she could do was grab the phone tighter.

"I know. I'm sorry. Goodbye, Shizuru."

After two pizzas, ice cream and soppy Christmas TV Natsuki decided to end her torture and settled herself on the couch armed with three bottles of wine, a six-pack of beer, and a bottle full of vodka. In short every alcohol left in her apartment, that hadn't been sent this morning. Shizuru's liquor she had decided, was to be spared for some sort of special occasion. Then she started out on her new action films and drank the night away.

At half past two in the morning the TV was flickering in the darkness on his standby-screen and Natsuki was far away in a deathlike sleep, crouched up on her couch in a very uncomfortable looking position. Beside her was only half a bottle of wine left.


	4. December, the 25th

I finished this a bit later than I expected but I have two excuses: 1. this chapter turned out to be longer than I expected it to be and 2. I got a Wii yesterday and I'm already addicted to Twilight princess. '

So, this is the final chapter. Tell what you thought about it.

**Darkredeyes:** That would be boring if Shizuru appeared just in time on Christmas eve, preferably in a red Santa Claus' dress.

**tittiD:** I intended to make the story not too predictable but I hope you like the ending.

**kikyo4ever:** Honestly I completely forgot about Shizuru's b-day when I wrote this (bad me), but of course Natsuki has send her a present. Probably something from Victoria's Secret. ;)

**midorihitomi:** That conversation with Nao just popped up in my mind and I thought why not?

**Naolin:** Thanks to the best beta! Would you have guessed it?

* * *

December, the 25th

Natsuki giggled madly, though her breath kept running out with all the dodging she had to do. Shizuru had quite a good aim and her snowballs weren't easily to avoid. Maybe if Natsuki hadn't dissipated all of her ammunition in the first few minutes of their battle, she could counter now. Still it was fun having a snowball fight and more so having Shizuru back. A snowball whooshed past her ear with a buzzing sound.

Wait a minute, Natsuki thought, since when did snowballs make a buzzing sound?

She moved her arms a bit and turned herself around only to land face first on the floor of her living room. Damnit! It had only been a dream. For a moment she just lay still on the floor and tried to get herself together. Her arm must have bumped into the coffee table, judging from the pain in her elbow and her neck hurt a lot from sleeping crippled up on the couch.

The buzzing sound reappeared, but Natsuki couldn't place it. By the third time she recognized it as the doorbell and scrambled slowly to her feet. A second later she wished she hadn't. Natsuki's head felt like somebody was hitting it with a hammer, a very big and heavy hammer, to be more accurate. A rhythmic pounding, going along with her heartbeat.

For a moment Natsuki was tempted to just lie down again, but the annoying door rung once more, longer this time and so she stumbled in the direction where she remembered the door to be.

Ready to unleash her anger at whatever poor victim was standing outside she slammed the door open. "What the hell do you want?! Do you know what goddamn time it is?!"

"It is a quarter past eleven, a good time to get up even for your standards." The other person calmly said, not in the least impressed by Natsuki's outburst.

Natsuki blinked. Twice. "Mai? What are you doing here?"

"Well you sounded quite down when you called yesterday. I thought I'd look how you're doing."

"Oh, alright." Natsuki said sheepishly and stepped aside, letting the redhead enter.

Mai firmly entered and Natsuki trailed after her. "My God Natsuki, it's as dark as a cave and it smells like some old bar!"

She placed two bags on the kitchen counter and then marched over to open the curtains and the windows as well. When she turned around she gaped, seeing Natsuki for the first time in daylight.

"What?" Natsuki asked.

"Nothing." Mai replied surveyed the scenery. "You just look like you have been overrun by a truck. But" she gestured towards the assembly of empty bottles on the coffee table. "it's no wonder, I guess."

"That bit doesn't take me down." Natsuki replied, trying to act as though her head wasn't feeling like being slowly mashed. "Anyways, what's in those bags?"

But Mai wasn't buying the tough girl image, the amount of alcohol Natsuki had apparently consumed would have been enough to render a horse senseless and by all accounts it was fairly enough to deliver a pretty headache.

"Get in the shower and make yourself a bit more presentable, while I clean up that mess." She said and started picking up empty bottles.

"You don't have to. I can do that myself." Natsuki pushed herself away from the wall and picked up two pizza boxes. A hiss escaped her mouth as her vision went black for a fraction, the pain doubling from the blood flow into her head. She tried to suppress it, but her friend heard it nevertheless. Gently she took the pizza boxes out of her hands and ushered Natsuki over to the bathroom. "I'm sure you're capable, but not now. So go in there and let me take care of the rest."

Natsuki silently obeyed this time, not in the mood for a tiring argument.

"Cold water might be a help!" Mai called after her, before she closed the bathroom door.

Tate, Natsuki thought, was to be envied with a wife like Mai, for when she left the bathroom the living room was all tidied up, a delicious smell wavered over from her kitchen and Mai emerged in front of her, holding out a glass of water and two aspirins. Hopefully that guy knew just how good he was off. If not she might go and remind him sometime.

Gratefully she took the offered medicine and followed Mai into the kitchen, where the redhead was already busy stirring in a pot. She tasted a spoon and obviously was satisfied with the result, she turned around.

"I took the liberty off stocking up your supplies as I head bought too much for us anyways."

When she saw the helpless look on Natsuki's face she quickly added "Just some basic things like bread and some rice, and I put eggs and some cheese into your fridge, so that you don't have to live on instant food through the holidays. And you can heat up the rest of the curry for the evening." She made a wave of her hand backwards to the pot.

"Okay." Natsuki was still rather monosyllabic as her tongue felt incredibly heavy and clumsy, thought the shower certainly had helped to clear her clouded mind a bit.

Mai turned around stirring in the curry again.

"Shouldn't you be at home and cooking lunch over there?" Natsuki suddenly asked when she registered the clock consciously for the first time of the day.

"Oh no, on the 25th we're always invited to Yuichi's family for lunch and coffee and his mother doesn't like me that much. Actually I'm glad I could stay behind and tell him I have to look after you"

"So I'm just an excuse?" Not that Natsuki would have cared if she got a delicious meal for being an excuse.

"No, I was really worried about you after your call." Mai assured her. "You sounded quite depressed to me. If not today, I certainly would've come by tomorrow, since knew you were alone. You must miss her a lot."

Out of an impulse Natsuki hugged her friend from behind. "Thank you, Mai."

Mai turned and folded her arms around the Natsuki. "It's okay, she'll come back to you. And if you're lonely just come over."

"You're truly a good friend." Natsuki said when she stepped away.

"Of course I am." She said, giving her thumbs up. "Well then, I must be going. If I miss out lunch and coffee Yuichi will be moping around. He considers it an insult to his dear mama."

"Oh boy!" Natsuki shook her head.

"Yes, but for the love of harmony I have to. See you around." She briefly hugged Natsuki again and then left.

Alone once again, Natsuki inspected the fridge in search of overhealthy food Mai might have tried to slip her, but it was just as she had said: some eggs, three different types of cheese and a bit of yogurt. Hunger finally making its presence known with a loud stomach growl, she gave in and helped herself to some curry. Just like any food Mai made it, it was delicious. Natsuki immediately helped herself to another plate once she finished the first. By now she was feeling considerably well; her stomach was full, her apartment had been cleaned and the aspirins had kicked in and blown her headache away. She considered a third helping but she was already full.

Just when Natsuki had washed the dishes and put the left curry in the fridge, the doorbell rung again. She glanced at her watch. About three p.m. Maybe Mai had come back after the coffee to escape her monster-in-law.

Natsuki opened the door. She froze.

"Hello Natsuki." The other one greeted her. A calm, even and composed voice. The very same voice she had talked to over the phone every night.

Hesitantly Natsuki took one step forward, one hand outstretched as if Shizuru might waver and vanish any moment. Slowly she brought her hand up and touched her cheek. It felt cold from the winter air, but despite her fears she didn't vanish into thin air.

"You're back." she only aspirated the words. Then she flung her arms around Shizuru, pressing her close, as close as possible.

Shizuru responded with an equally fierce and forceful embrace, placing a kiss on Natsuki's cheek. Once she felt the cold lips on her warm skin, she became aware that they were still outside, exposed to the icy December air. She let go of her love and picked up the suitcase with one hand, dragging Shizuru in with the other.

When Shizuru had hung up her coat and Natsuki had carried the suitcase into the bedroom they stood in the hallway. Neither said a word. It was stupid, Natsuki scolded herself. She had wanted Shizuru back and now she didn't have anything to say to her. She wanted to say so much, but now nothing seemed important enough to be spoken aloud. Shizuru simply waited for a reaction from Natsuki.

"I guess you would like some tea, to warm up?" she finally asked. It was the only thing she could imagine to say that didn't sound either stupid or meaningless.

"Yes please. That would be nice. You can't imagine what efforts it takes to get a halfway decent tea in America." Shizuru answered.

Natsuki chuckled. "I think so. I'll be over in a few minutes, just make yourself comfortable."

She vanished into the kitchen out of Shizuru's sight and hastily put the aspirin pack away. Luckily Mai had already disposed the bottles earlier. No need for Shizuru to know that Natsuki had gotten herself a hangover as a Christmas present.

By the time she brought the tea into their living room Natsuki's initial shock over that happy surprise had faded. Now first of all she was curious how it had happened.

"How on earth did you show up here today Shizuru? I thought you had to stay until they have found a replacement for that deal you mentioned."

Shizuru pulled a face. "Do you not want me here? Is that it? I travel hundreds of miles to be with you and that's all you've got to say?"

"No, it's not that! I'm very happy you're here. Hell, I could do a dance right now! But I don't get the how." Natsuki stammered.

Shizuru just moved in and kissed her. Long and deep. With a tenderness as if she explored her love's mouth for the first time. When she pulled away she laid her face at Natsuki's shoulder. "I don't want to talk about business now. When you called me yesterday you sounded so forlorn. In that moment you broke my armour. I told myself I can spend the whole year with you when I get back and that two or three more weeks wouldn't hurt, but then I heard your voice and" she took Natsuki's hand" I can't really describe what I felt, but I knew I wanted to be with you more than anything."

Natsuki placed a kiss on her hand. "And then, what did you tell your colleagues?"

"You'll bug me till I tell you, won't you?" she sighed. "I told them to take a week off and spend some time with their families like I had to go to my family. Next I drove to the airport to take the next plane to Tokyo."

"Does that mean you'll leave me for Kyoto tomorrow?" Natsuki asked a slight trace of apprehension in her voice.

"Of course not, silly. You're my family. Though it means I'll be leaving again on the evening of the first of January."

"That doesn't matter." She assured her. "Having you with me now is more than I dreamed of."

Shizuru settled her head in Natsuki's lap and she in return folded her arms around Shizuru's belly. Shizuru yawned a little.

"Are you tired?"

A bit. It must have been the flight."

Shizuru closed her eyes, nuzzling a bit closer.

"Natsuki?" she asked sleepily

"Yes?"

"Can we pretend today's Christmas?"

She smiled. "Of course my love."

"Merry Christmas, Natsuki." Shizuru said.

"Merry Christmas." She placed a light kiss on her lips.

The light was fading, in fact it was almost dark outside and only a dim gleam of light from the kitchen shown over. Briefly Natsuki considered standing up and turning on the lights, but didn't. She rather enjoyed holding Shizuru close to her.

When she looked outside she saw a few snowflakes dancing in the light of street lamp. She watched them a bit. They soon got more, numerous hovering down from the dark sky and passing by her window.

"It seems you brought the snow with you from Chicago." Natsuki told Shizuru. "Shall we now go out and walk in the snow together?"

There was no reply. Natsuki lowered her gaze to the figure in her lap and realized that Shizuru had fallen asleep. Only a low, steady breathing emerged from her lips. Natsuki stroked her hair. "Then we'll go tomorrow." she said.


End file.
